Sun suit



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Patented Oct. 14, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HOBART L. HARGRAVES, OF WEST BUX'ION, KAINE, ASSIGNOR TO THE WILLIAM CARTER COMPANY, OF NEEDHAM HEIGHTS, MASSACHUSETTS, A'CORIOBATION OF mssacnusn'rrs SUN SUIT Application filed December 11, 1929. Serial No. 413,284.

This invention relates to so-called sun suits or play suits. 1

In order that theprinciple of the invention may be readily understood, I have disclosed two embodiments thereof in the accompanying drawings, wher'ein ig. 1 is a front elevation of one form of sun suit or play suit embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation thereof;

Fig. 2 is a detail 1 in cross section on line 2-2 of one of the tape loops the panel structure being shown conventionally in section with the binding tape in section;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail showing the structure at the neckgportion of the suit;

Fig. 4 is a vertical ection greatly enlarged, showing the structure at the neck;

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of a second em bodiment of the invention;

Fig. 6 is a rear elevation of said second embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 6 is a detail in cross section on line 6*6 of one of the tape loops, the panel structure bein shown conventionally in section with the Finding tape in section;

Figs. 7 and 8 are details in plan showing slightly modified forms of the loop construction;

Fig. 9 is a detail in plan of a modified arrangement of the supporting straps at the back; and

Figs. 10, 11 and 12 represent further modifications of the loop or loose connection.

The purpose of a so-called sun suit or play suit is to permit children to take sun baths; that is, to sit, play or disport themselves with much of the skin directly exposed to rays of the sun. The suits are primarily intended for outdoor wear by small children es ecially' after they have learned to walk. Suc a suit comprises a lower portion intended to cover the lower part of the body and which may for convenience be referred to as the trunk portion, and an upper supporting portion which at the front has and primarily consists ofa shield or panel of a mesh or open formation su'fliciently close to obscure the front upper portion of the body from view, yet leaving the same exposed to'the influence of sunlight.

Preferably the back of the garment is wholly open excepting in so far as it is necessary to provide means for supportin the same.

Referring first to that em odiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, I have represented the body portion or trunk portion 1 as of knitted material wherein the wales preferably extend lengthwise of the garment so that the same is Very expansible laterally. Such body portion 1 may be of 0 plain knitting but is preferably rib knitting of relatively light material, such, for example, as wool, though other suitable material ma be employed. Such body portion or tru portion may be madefrom a single tubular knitted fabric, or it may be made from one or more pieces of straight knitted fabric suitably joined together. Obviously, the invention is not limited to the use of knitted material for the body or trunk portion, since in certain cases woven material may be employed instead, but the same is not preferred.

In the said disclosed embodiment of my invention the said body or trunk portion 1 is .made of front and back parts which are united b scams 2, 3, along their vertical edges. uch seams extend from the outer sides or edges 4, 5 of the leg openings 6, 7 to the upper edge 8, 9 of said body portion. Preferably the body portion is provided at the leg openings and also at the waist or upper end thereof with separate knitted pieces of heavier material as indicated at 10, 11, 12, the wales whereof extend transverse to the longest extent of each of said pieces 10, 11, 12. In other words, all the wales throughout the body or trunk portion extend lengthwise the body. Said separate pieces 10, 11, 12 are elastically seamed by stitching 13 to said body portion 1. so that the entire garment including the edge portions 10, 11, 12 and the stitching means ltself is highly expansible laterally. All the seams 2, 3, 13 are herein disclosed as highly elastic and for this purpose zigzag stitching or other type of elastic seaming may be em loyed. If desired it is secured by the stitching 13. Although the body or trunk portion has been particularly described, it is to be understood that such portion of the garment may be widely varied in structure without departing from the principles of the invention.

The upper portion of the garment, except for such supporting means as are necessary, is wholly or in part, but preferably wholly, of some open mesh material that is sufficiently close to obscure from View that part of the body which it covers or overlies, and yet to leave such part of the body exposed to the influence of sunlight.

Both the front and the back of the upper portion of the garment may be of some open mesh material, or only either the front or the back may be of such material but according to the preferred construction and as herein shown, the front of the upper portion of the garment is of such open structure and the back portion of the garment inso far as any back portion exists, is of a strap like nature, whereby the entire garment is held in position over the shoulders leaving the arms wholly free and uncovered.

I have represented in the several figures the open mesh material at 17 Such material is not per se novel; it is of a general knitted character, sometimes termed net or cable net, and is provided throughout with relatively large openings 18, 19 outlined by pillar-like knitted strands, the structure of which need not be more clearly described otherwise than to say it is desirably of a knitted structure or character. The particular nature of this material and the substance of which it is made may be varied, and it may in some cases be of an open-woven structure or of a lace net character. The essen tial purpose thereof is to give quite free exposure to the suns rays of the upper part of the childs body, or in other words by sufficiently obscuring a direct view of the flesh yet leaving the same exposed to the influence of sunlight.

The open material which I shall refer to generically as open-mesh material, is pref erably cut to the required size and shape from a large piece and is then attachedat its lower edge as indicated at 20 to the upper belt like portion 12 by elastic stitching of the same general character as that already described.

In accordance with my invention, I support a body or trunk ortion and the attached open mesh material 17 by a plurality of straps adapted to pass over the shoulders and having a loose connection with each other, thus permitting greater freedom of movement of the child and the condition of the straps to all the movements of the wearer. Such loose connection may partake of various forms, certain of which Ihave herein illustrated as loops. I desire to cover this feature of the invention broadly and in addition to the two main forms or embodiments of the invention I have indicated certain other forms of loops constituting variants of the main constructions shown.

I will now particularly describe the two main or selected embodiments of my invention, but without in anywavlimitingmy invention thereto.

At its two lateral edges 21, 21, the said open mesh material is folded upon itself as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, and the part of each edge which is folded (preferably inwardly) is secured to the body of the open mesh material by a very thin tape 22, which is preferably woven and is narrow but which serves as a foundation or support to receive the elastic stitches 23 which securevthe said inturned raw edge of the open mesh material to the body part of said mesh material and to the said tape 22. The said tape 22, while not necessarily of woven material, is preferably of such material as it gives a firmer support.

The two inturned edges of the open mesh material extend unwardlv and slightly outwardly to the points 24, 25, where they meet the edge formation, which in this embodiment of mv invention is of the following construction and arrangement, but to which my invention is not necessarily limited.

. I provide binding or tapes indicated generally at 26, 27, and which are preferably of knitted material, the wales whereof, as indicated at 28, extend lengthwise the garment,'that is, in the same general direction as the wales of the trunk or body portion 1.

Referring first to the binding or tape or edge 26, it is to be understood that it is folded upon itself along a median line, and the open mesh material 17 is stitched or secured elastically to the two edges thereof, as indicated at 29, as far as to the upper edge of said open mesh material. The lower end of said tape or binding portion 26 is formed as a loop 30, indicated most clearly in Figs. 2 and 2 the end of the loop (that is, the end of the tape) being attached either to the body of the tape or to the material of the open mesh structure or to both. The elastic stitching 29 extends to the end of the tape. The said tape 26 is extended or continued upward, as shown in Figs-1 and- 2, at 31 and becomes a part of one of the shoulder straps (meeting and being elastically stitched to a companion folded-over tape 31*), it continuing (with the, companion tape 31 as indicated in Fig. 2, passing freely through the similar loop 32 of the opposite edge orside tape to be described, and thence down to the trunk portion where the two companion tapes 26, 51 are secured as'indicated in Fig. 2 at 33.

Preferably the twotapes'are composed of knitted material folded inwardly. along median lines, so as to present folded edges 34, 35, and the two tapes are secured together along a median line 36 by suitable zigzag or other elastic stitching.

The other tape or binding 27 is of the same structure as the tape 26 already described, and as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, it, together with its companion tape 36 (which is similar to the tape 31?) presents a shoulder portion 37 and its lower end at the back is secured to the body portion 1 at 38. together with its companion tape 36 It will be clear from the foregoing description that each tape not only constitutes or provides for a shoulder strap, but also passes through a loop formed in the other tape so that the two shoulder straps may draw or move with respect to each other and give great freedom of movement to the wearer.

The open mesh material is shown only in part, in order to avoid over elaboration of the drawings, but it is to be understood that the same extends at least throughout the front portion of the upper part of the garment in this embodiment of the invention.

At the upper end or neck portion of the open mesh panel the following construction is preferably employed, being illustrated in detail in Figs. 3 and 4.

The upper end or edge of the said open mesh panel is folded transversely upon itself, as indicated at 39 in Fig. 4, so as to provide a portion 40 of double thickness. The lower raw edge of the folded over part 41 is 'secured to the main part of the open mesh material at 42 and preferably by a line of stitching, as indicated at 42 in Fig. 3. This provides an upper edge of the neck portion which is not a raw edge and is suflicientlystrong to meet all requirements. The line of stitching 42 being very elastic transversely of the fabric, the entire panel portion including the doubled over neck part thereof is very extensible in a direction transversely of the garment. I may, if desired, provide a backing or foundation to receive the stitching 42 and in such event I preferably employ a narrow woven tape which would be of the same structure and characteristics as the tape 22 shown most clearly in Fig. 1.

It will be clear that in accordance with the constructions thus far disclosed the neck of the garment or suit is provided by the upper edge itself of the panel portion and that there is no tape or binding at the neck in this r form of my invention.

In Figs. 5, 6 and 6' I have shown a second embodiment of, my invention. Therein all the parts from 1 to 20 inclusive are the same as in the first form of my invention, and therefore the same numerals are employed. The following differences in structure appear in the embodiment shown in Figs. 5, 6 and '6. Referring to the front of the garment shown in Fig. 5, the lateral edges of the panel of open mesh material are not folded upon will be observed that the themselves as at the lower part thereof in Fig. 1. On the contrary,'a relatively narrow knitted tape 43, 44 (each being folded over along a median line) is provided at the two edges of the lower part ,of the panel, being elastically secured thereto by elastic lines of stitches 45, 46. The wales of the tapes 43, 44 extend lengthwise of said tapes. Said tapes 43, 44 are secured at their lower ends 47, 48 to the upper part 12 of the front portion 1, and at their upper end they are secured respectively at 49, 50 to two tapes 51, 52, which are of the general character of the knitted tapes 26, 27, of the first embodiment of the invention (being folded along median lines), but with the difference to be pointed out. Said tapes 51, 52 have loops 53, 54 at their lower ends, as shown in Figs. 6 and 6, and each tape is continued upwardly to form the shoulder strap portion 55, 56, and each is continued downwardly to pass through the loop of the other tape at 53, 54, and is then secured to the upper part of the front or body portion 1 at 57 58. Instead, however, of folding over the upper edge of the panel portion, as shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, to provide the neck, I provide an additional tape 59, which is elastically stitched to the upper edge of the panel of open mesh material. Said tape is of knitted construction like the tapes 51, 52, etc., and in this embodiment of my invention, said tape 59 is folded upon itself lengthwise and its edges are secured by an elastic line of stitches to the tapes 51, 52, from the pointswhere said tapes meet at 60, 61, over each shoulder and down to ,the points 57, 58 respectively. That is to say, in the second embodiment of my invention, I provide an additional tape which forms the neck band and then merges into and becomes a part of each shoulder portion and back strap portion.

In both embodiments of the invention, it panels of open mesh material at their lower portions have converging edges. In other words, each panel is of general hexagonal shape.

In accordance with my invention, any suit- Y able loop or equivalent construction or loose connection may be employed, and in the main figures I have represented loops 30, 32 and 53, 54. If for a loose connection I employ a loop, I may construct the loop in any suitable manner. For example, in Fig. 7, I have represented at 62 the loop as provided by an extension of the tape 27, the end of the tape being provided with a buttonhole 63 to receive a button 64 upon the tape 27 or other suitable part of the garment.

In Fig. 8, the tape 27 has a prolongation 65 provided with a slot 66, which is in the nature of a buttonhole and is suitably worked or overseamed as indicated. In the case of Figs. 7 and 8. the loop like structure receives the tape such as 31 31*. It is to be understood that these constructions may be employed with any arrangement of straps. It is also to be understood that the loop construction need not necessarily be a part of the strap or straps so long as it functions as a loose connection.

In Fig. 9, I have represented-a construe tion similar to Figs. 1 and 2, excepting that stitched at 70'to one of the straps and provided at the other end with a button 72 to be received in a buttonhole 71 in the strap 68.

In the construction shown in Fig. 9, any suitable form of loop or loose connection may be provided either of the form shown in the other views or of any other suitable form.

In Figs. 10, 11 and 12, I have shown further slight modifications of the so-called loose orloop connection. In Fig. 10, I have represented the tape 27 and a lower tape 73, the latter having an extension or additional tape secured thereto, indic ted at 74. Said tape receives one of the str ps at the back, the same here being indicated at 75. This may be the strap from the same side or from the opposite side of the front of the garment. The tape 74 is of suflicient length to provide a loop or loose connection as shown, and has a buttonhole 76 to receive a button 77 upon the tape 7 8.

In Fig.11, the upper tape is indicated at 27 and the lower tape at 77*. Both of these tapes are continued at their meeting point, being seamed together to form a single extension 78 of suflicient length to constitute a loop or loose connection for the strap 75 coming either from the same or the opposite side of the garment. Said tape 78 is provided with a buttonhole 79, and upon the tape 78 is a button 80. A similar construction is shown in Fig. 12, excepting that instead of continuing or prolonging the said two tapes, a supplemental tape is secured thereto. Said tape is indicated at 81 and is provided with a buttation, the scope of the invention being set portion and an upper supporting portion secured thereto, said upper supporting portion having at the front-a shield or panel of a mesh or knitted formation sufficiently close to obscure from view the front upper portion of the body yet-leaving the same exposed to the influence of air and sunlight, said shield or panel having attached to opposite sides thereof tape-like members each having a loop portion through which freely passes the opposite tape-like member, one end of each tape-like member being secured to the lower or trunk portion.

2. A play suit including a lower or trunk portion and an upper supporting portion secured thereto, said upper supporting por- 2 tion having at the front a shield or panel of a mesh formation sufficiently close to obscure from view the front upper portion of the body yet leaving the same exposed to the influence of sunlight, shoulder straps secured to said shield or panel and to the lower or trunk portion, eachshoulder strap having a loop I through which freely passes the other shoulder strap.

3. A play suit including a lower or trunk portion and an upper supporting portion secured thereto, said upper supporting portion having at the front a shield or panel of a mesh formation suflieiently close to obscure from view the front upper portion ofthebody yet of sufliciently open formation to leave the same exposed to the influence of sunlight, said shield or panel having its upper end turned flatwise upon itself to provide a transversely extending front neck portion,

and shoulder strap means secured to said panel portion and to the lower or trunk portion, said shoulder strap means including two shoulder straps, each having a loop through which the other strap passes at the back of the garment.

4. A play'suit including a lower or trunk portion and an upper supporting portion secured thereto, said upper supporting portion having at the front a shield or panel of a mesh formation sufficiently close to obscure from view the front upper portion of the body yet leaving the same exposed to the influence of sunlight, shoulder straps secured along opposite sides of said panel portion and also to the lower or trunk portion at the back thereof, each such strap having a loop adjacent the panel portion each said loop slidingly receiving the other shoulder strap.

5. A play suit including a lower or trunk portion and an upper supportingportion secured thereto, said upper supporting portion having at the front a shield or panel of a mesh formation sufliciently close to obscure from view the front upper portion of the body yet cured thereto,

leaving the same exposed to the influence of sunlight, said shield or panel having its uppere ge folded upon itself to provide a transversely extending neck portion, and the lower parts of its opposite sides folded upon themselves to provide finished edges, two shoulder straps respectively secured to the upper parts of the opposite sides of said shield or panel and extending and attached to the lower or trunk portion, each shoulder strap having a loop through which the other strap passes at the back of the garment adjacent a side thereof. I

6. A play suit including a lower or trunk portion and an upper supportingportion secured thereto, said upper supporting portion having at the front a shield or panel of a mesh formation sufiiciently close to obscure from view the front upper portion of the body yet leaving the same exposed to the influence of sunlight, the lower parts of the side edges of said shield or panel being folded and seamed, and the upper parts of the said side edges having tapes secured thereto, each tape having a loose connection with the other tape, and each tape being extended to provide a shoulder support and attached at its rear lower end to the back of the lower or trunk portion.

7. A play suit including a lower or trunk portion and an upper supporting portion sesaid upper supporting portion having at the front a shield or panel of a mesh formation sufiiciently close to obscure fromview the front upper portion of the body yet leavin the same exposed to the influence of sunlig t, a pair of tapes respectively secured to opposite sides of said shield or panel and at their lower front ends each provided with a loop for the passage of the other tape, a third tape secured to the upper transverse edge of the shield or panel portion, said third tape being secured at its opposite portions respectively to the first and second mentioned tapes, said combined tapes being respectively secured to the lower or trunk port the latter at the back.

8. A play suit including a lower or trunk portion and an upper supporting portion secured thereto, said upper supporting portion having at the front only, a shield or'panel of a mesh formation sufficiently close to obscure from view the front upper portion of the body yet leaving the same exposed to the influence of sunlight, the lower parts of the opposite edges of said shield or panel having short tapes secured thereto, a pair of tapes respectively secured to the upper parts of the side edges of said shield or panel, another tape which is secured transversely along the upper edge of said shield or panel, said upper side edge tapes and said transverse tapebeing respectively secured to each other to provide shoulder straps and attached at their lower rear ends only to the trunk or body porportion to sup tion the back of the garment above the trunk portion being wholly open except for the said shoulder straps.

from view the front upper portion of the body yet leaving the same exposed to the influence of sunlight, the lower parts of the opposite eges of said shield or panel having short tapes secured thereto, a pair of tapes respectively secured to the upper parts of the side edges of said shield or panel, another tape which is secured transversely along the upper edge of said shield or panel, said uper side edge tapes and said transverse tape eing respectively secured to each other to provide shoulder straps and attached at their lower rear ends only to the trunk or body portion, said upper side ed e tapes each hav- 1ng therein at its lower en a loop loosely to receive the opposite tape portion.

10. A play suit including a lower or trunk portion and an upper supporting portion secured thereto, said upper supporting portion having attached to opposite sides thereof tape like members each having a loop portion through which freely passes the opposite tape-llke member, one end of each tape-like member being secured to the lower or trunk portion and each tape-like member having at its other end the said loop portion for the said free passa e ofthe opposite tape member.

11. A p ay suit including a lower or trunk portion and an upper supporting portion secured thereto, shoulder straps secured to opposite sides of said upper supporting portion and to the lower or trunk portion, each shoulder strap where secured to a side of said upper portion having a loop through which freely passes the other shoulder strap.

12. A play suit including a lower or trunk portion and an upper supporting portion secured thereto, shoulder straps secured along opposite sides of said upper supporting portion and also to the lower or trunk portion at the back thereof, each such strap havin a terminal loop to receive slidably the ot er shoulder strap.

13. A play suit including a lower or trunk portion and an u per supporting portion secured thereto, an supporting shoulder straps suitably attached at one end to the lower or trunk portion and each having a terminal formation constituting a loose connection with the other strap.

14. A play'suit including a lower or trunk portion and an upper supporting portion seloop through which the other strap passes.

15. A play suit including a lower or trunk portion and an upper supporting portion secured thereto, said upper supporting portion having at the front a shieldor panel of a mesh formation sufficiently close to obscure from view the front upper portion of the body yet leaving the same exposed to the influence of sunlight, the lower parts of the side edges of said shield or panel being folded and seamed, and the upper parts of the said side edges having tapes secured thereto, each tape which is at the upper part of a side edge having at one end a loose connection with a supporting tape portion at the back, and each tape being extended to provide a shoulder support attached at its rear lower end to the back of the lower or trunk portion.

16. A play suit including a lower or trunk portion and an upper supporting portion secured thereto, said upper supporting portion having at the front a, shield or panel, said shield or panel having opposite side loops and having upper side tapes and alsohaving a front neck tape, the latter being extended and connected to both of said side tapes and passing together therewith through said loops respectively and secured to the lower ortrunk portion to support the latter at the rear.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

HOBART L. HARGRAVES. 

